Roller bit



April 2-1, 1931. c. H. M. BULL ROLLER BIT YOriginal Filed Nov. 26, 1927 Patented Apr. 2l, 1931 UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE CLINTON H. M. BULL, F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR T0 REED ROLLER I BIT COMPANY, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS, A'COBPOBATION OF TEXAS ROLLER BIT Uriginal application led. November 26, 1927, Serial No. 285,806. Divided and this application iiled April 26, 1928. Serial No. 272,927.

This invention relates generally to deep well drilling apparatus, and specifically to roller bits, and is a division of my pendin application for Letters Patent of the Unite States, entitled Drill bits, filed November 26th, 1927, Serial No. 235,806. l

It has for its object the provision of a new and improved roller cutter mounting.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary and sectional side lo elevation of a bit embodying this invention, the cutter being locked on the head; Fig. 2, a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, partly sectional detail view of the cutter and its sup ort.

. The Ibit head 1, shown fragmentarily, has a screw-threaded spindle 2 integral therewith.

The bushing or cutter support 3, provided by this invention, is threaded upon the spindle 2G 2 as shown, and has a cylindrical base portion circumferentially grooved as shown at 3a, the side walls of the groove being inclined outwardly to form with tapered sectional rings `4: raceways'for balls 5. The cutter 6 is provided with corresponding raceways 6a.

The bit may be assembled by screwing the bushing 3 on the spindle 2; and moving the rings 4 which are laterally slidable in groove 3a, toward each other so that the balls 5 may .S0 be placed as shown by Fig. 3 and there held by grease or the like. It will be observed that the outer sides of said balls are then substantially in the same plane with the `periphery of said bushing. The cutter 6 may therefore` be slip ed on said bushing. The plugs 7, screw readed in openings in the side` of the cutter 6 and provided with pointed inner ends, may then be screwed inwardly between the said rings. Therings forced apart by the wedge plugs 7, force the balls outwardly so that said balls enter the raceways 6a in the cutter. The cutter is thus securely and rotat- -ably locked on the bushing.

The bearing provided by this invention may, of course, be used in connection with any support and rotary member other than the bushing 3 and roller cutter 6 illustrated j by the accompanied drawings, but it will be c found particularly useful in roller bits of the general type shown.

gether and released from each other. This A invention provides such means in the form of a new and improved ball bearing.

I claim:

1. A roller cutter having a raceway, a cutter support having a raceway, and balls adapted to fit said raceways, the raceway in said support being so adjustable that said balls may be thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter. f

2. A roller cutter havin a raceway, a cutter support having an a justable raceway, balls adapted to fit said racewa s, and means to so adjust the raceway in sai support that said balls are thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter.

3. A roller cutter havin a raceway, a cutter support having an a justable raceway, balls adapted to fit said racewa s, and means to so adjust the raceway in sai support that said balls are thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter, said means being carried by said cutter. l

4. A roller lcutter havin a raceway, a cutter support having an adjustable raceway, balls adapted to fit said raceways, and means to so adjust the raceway in said support that said balls are thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter, said means comprising a plug carried by said cutter.

5. A roller cutter having a raceway, a cutter support having a groove, a ring in said groove, balls in said groove, and means to so move said ring that said balls are thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter.

6. A roller cutter having a raceway, a cutter support having a groove, a ring in said groove, balls in said groove, and means to in said groove, balls in said groove, and means to so move said ring that said balls are thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter.

8. A roller cutter having a raceway, a cutter support having a groove, one side wall of said groove being inclined, a tapered ring in said groove, balls in said groove, and means to so move said ring that said balls are thereby moved into the raceway in said cutter, said means comprising a tapered plug.

9. A roller cutter having a plurality of raceways, a cutter support having a groove, a plurality of rings in said groove, balls in said groove, and means to so move said rings that said balls are thereby moved into said raceways.

10. A roller cutter having a plurality of raceways, a cutter support having a groove,

a plurality of rings in said groove, balls in said groove, and means to so move said rings that said balls are thereby moved into said raceways,- said means comprising a wedge ug. o 11. A roller cutter having a plurallty or raceways, a cutter support having a groove,

the side Walls of said groove being inclined,

'stantially frusto-conical portion an a plurality of tapered rings in said groove, and means to so move said rings that said balls are thereby moved into said raceways.4

12. A roller cutter having a plurality of raceways, a cutter support having a groove, the side walls of said groove being inclined, a plurality of tapered rings in sald groove, and means to so move said rin that said balls are thereby moved into said raceways, said means comprising a wedge plug.

13. A roller cutter bushing havin a suba substantially cylindrical base portion, said base portion having an external annular groove, the side walls of said groove being substantially flat and inclined outwardly.

14. A roller cutter having a pair of substantially parallel internal raceways, and a bore extending from the exterior of said cutter to the interior of said cutter between said raceways.

15. The combination of a support havingv Ways, and a device movable in said opening to cause said ring to move said balls into the raceway of said rotary member.

17. The combination of a support having a groove, one side wall of said groove bein inclined, a'tapered ring in said groove and forming therewith an adjustable raceway, a rotary member on said support and having a raceway and an opening, balls for said raceways, and a device movable in said opening to cause said ring to move said balls into the raceway of lsaid rotary member.

18. The combination of a support having a groove, the side Walls of said support beinv inclined, a pair of tapered rings in said grooves and forming therewith a pair of adjustable raceways, and a rotary member on said support and having a pair of raceways and an opening, balls for said raceways, and a device movable in said opening to separate said rings to move said balls into the raceway in said rotary member. I

19. In a drill, a head, a support carried by said head and having an adjustable raceway, a roller cutter recessed to enclose said support and having a raceway, balls for said raceways, and a device for actuating said adjustable raceway to move said balls into the raceway of said cutter.

v.20; In a drill, a head, a support carried by said head and having an adjustable raceway, a roller cutter recessed to enclose said support and having a raceway and an openin balls for said raceways, and a device movab e in said opening-'to cause said adjustable raceway to move said balls into the raceway of said cutter.

21. In a drill, amhead, a support carried by said head and Having a groove and a ring movable in said groove to form an adjustable raceway, a roller cutter recessed to enclose said support and having a raceway, balls for said raceways, and a device for actuating said rin to move said balls into the raceway of sai cutter.

22. In a drill, a head, a support carried by said head and having a oove, a ring movable in said groove to drm an adjustable raceway, a roller cutter recessed to enclose said support and having a racewa and an opening, balls for said raceways, an a device movable in said opening to cause said ringto move said balls into the raceway of said cutter.

'23. In a drill, a head, a support carried b said head and having a oove, one side wa of said groove bein -inctirned, a tapered ring in said groove and orming therewith an adjustable raceway, a roller cutter recessed to no j,

enclose said support and having a raceway,

das.

in said groove and forming therewith an adjustable raceway, a roller cutter recessed to enclose said support and having a raceway and an opening, balls for said raceways, and a device movable in said opening to cause said ring to move said balls linto the raceway of said cutter. f

25. In a drill, a head, a support carried by said head and having a groove, the side walls of said groove being inclined, a pair of tapered rings in said groove and forming therewith a pair of adjustable raoeways, a cutter recessed to enclose said support and having a pair of raceways, balls for said raceways, and a device for separating said rings to move said balls into the raceways of said cutter.

26. In a drill, a head, a support Carried by said head and, h'aving a groove, the side Walls of said groove being inclined, a pair of tapei-ed rings in said groove and forming therewith a pair of adjustable raceways, a cutter recessed to enclose said support and havinga pair of raceways, and an opening between said raceways, balls for said raceways, and a device movable in said opening to separatesaid rings to move said balls into the raceways of said cutter.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aix my signature.

CLINTON H. M. BULL. 

